The latest diseased animal was wandering on Federal St. Friday. On the final weekend of March two other rabid raccoons were found in the city.

So far, no people or pets are believed to have been exposed to the rabid raccoons. Still, police say people should keep a sharp eye for animals acting strangely.

"Well obviously we're concerned. It raises our sensitivity to that. We want everybody to be cautious and to take extra steps and measures to make sure their animals, their pets are vaccinated. At the same time, it doesn't constitute an epidemic," said St. Albans Police Chief Gary Taylor.

Rabies can be contracted when saliva from an infected animal gets into a fresh scratch or makes contact with mucous membranes in the mouth or eyes. A scratch or bite from a rabid animal can also cause infection.

Animal experts say you can't tell whether or not an animal has rabies by looking, since even infected animals can still act normally.

Anyone who is bitten by an unknown animal should wash and disinfect the bite area and contact their doctor or health officials immediately. The Health Department may want to test the animal to see if it was rabid, but officials say do not try to catch the animal if there's risk of getting bitten again.

Pet owners should make sure all their animals' vaccinations are up to date.